Pro-Palestine rally at Victoria’s State Library in its sixth week
Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian supporters have marched to Flinders St station calling for an end to the war in Gaza.
Victoria
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Tens of thousands of pro-Palestine protesters have marched to Flinders St station chanting “ceasefire now”.
The rally gathered outside the State Library for a sixth consecutive week.
Rally attendees, who are draped in Palestinian flags, holding signs and wearing traditional chequered scarfs, have taken to Melbourne’s CBD calling for an end to the war in Gaza.
The placards say: “Ceasefire now”, “Free Palestine” and “We are Palestinian victims”.
A heavy police presence has surrounded the crowd, with dozens of officers patrolling the area.
Thousands of Palestinian supporters have gathered at the State Library for a sixth consecutive week. @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/qFSQCz43Vu
— Suzan Delibasic (@suzandelibasic) November 19, 2023
Meanwhile, members of the Jewish community have today marched along Beaconsfield Parade and pushed empty strollers with pictures of more than 30 children held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
Robbie Thorpe, long-time Indigenous activist and uncle of Senator Lidia Thorpe, took the stage and said justice was needed in Palestine.
“Free Palestine,” Mr Thorpe said.
A school student, who has organised another school walkout on Friday to support Palestine, said: “We know it’s wrong to bomb hospitals.”
“We know it’s wrong to spin a genocide as self defence,” she said.
Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni, said the media was trying to the “silence protesters” because they were on the “right side of history”.
“Everyone deserves to be free and if you don’t believe that you belong at someone else’s rally,” he said.
Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi took to the stage and said the “mission of genocide” was not self-defence.
Protesters have begun marching down Swanston St to Parliament House. @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/MZBNO7PECc
— Suzan Delibasic (@suzandelibasic) November 19, 2023
“What about the rights of Palestinian people to just live?,” Ms Faruqi shouted.
“History will remember that the Labor government is not on the side of justice but the Greens are.”
John Shipton, the father of detained political activist Julian Assange, is addressing the crowd.
“Brown University says 38 million (Palestinian) refugees created over a period of 22 years,” he said.
A young teen was seen wearing a “Boycott Israel” sticker on his jacket.
Another protester held up a sign saying: “Netanyahu come to Dandenong, we just wanna talk.”
Starbucks on Swanston St was closed on Sunday after being targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters.
There were several anti-Israel stickers and fake blood strewn across the coffee shop’s windows.
Starbucks on Swanston St in Melbourne’s CBD has been vandalised by protesters. @theheraldsunpic.twitter.com/WYtHo3X4re
— Suzan Delibasic (@suzandelibasic) November 19, 2023
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